Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-10-15
FROM LOST RIVER.
A Section Where Land Is Cheap, Crops
Good, Timber Abundant, and Which
has Great Variety Of Natural he.

sources.
LOST RIVER, October 10, 1887.
To THE EDITOR OF THE TIMKs
The past season on the Lost River,
although so dry that the saying, at
never rains in Idaho," seems literally
true so far as this section is concerned,
has been a favorable one upon the
I whole, and the yield of grain, po,a.
toes, vegetables, etc, has been quite
large, for the acreage that has been
cultivated. So far, the farming on
Lost River has been to sore extent
experimental. The farmers find the
time and manner of irrigation, AS done
in other localities, will not always do
here, and the novice il the art Of
farming in dry climate, or one who
clings to the methods in vogue else
where, soon finds that he has great
deal to learn, and is liable to devote
considerable time and labor to the
acquisition of costly experience. Our
ranchmen, however, are "catching on"
to new ideas every year, and are quick
to see and prompt in amending the
mistakes of the past, and with the
benefit Of improved appliances and
better methods of cultivation will soon
succeed in obtaining the best results,
and thereby demonstrate the fact that
this is one of the best agricultural
valleys in the West. No section of
country is SO little known or so little
appreciated by the outside world as
this is to-day, and certainly nowhere
else, in all the broad domains of Uncle
Sam, can there be found such vast
extent of fertile soil still uncullivated,
and so many and SO great a variety of
natural resources still unutilized aud
neglected.
"lf such valley as this were to be
found in some of the other States and
Territories of the West, what boom
there would be, and how quickly it
wond be settled up and cultivated !"
That is the remark we often hear, and
while other and far less favored local
tiles are having their booms, and we
are constantly hearing of booms else
sx, hnr I L
allegiance, though no less certain on
that account; for here are all the ad-
vantages of cheap land, abundance
of timber and stock range, an I'M
limited supply of water, and a valley
capable of furnishing homes and SUBJ
sistence for $4,000 people.
One reason why the development
of this section has not been so rapid
or so satisfactory as was expected, is
found in the quality of the people
who first settled here. The Mormons,
though many of them possess in high
degree the virtues Of temperance, in
dustry and frugality, are not the kind
of people to hasten the development
of any region; and the old Lost River
"stiffs," who have followed the fag
end of every mining excitement since
the days of '4s, and at last anchored
on Lost River ranch, are, in spite of
their many good qualities, an incubus
on the country. The old Lost River
stiff is a sui generis of his kind.
Having been for so long deprived of
all the pleasures and benefits of society
and civilized surroundings, he has be.
come set in his ways, and the presenc .
here of any number of bright and
wlnsome ladies fails to awaken in hi u
a sense of neglected duties ard OF.
portunities, for to him the evil DAYS
have come, and he can find n, good
in them. Still, in spite of all the
drawbacks, the past year shows many
signs of steady and substantial prog.
ress, for, with an abundant hay crop
and ready markets for everything they
have, our farmers are in better shane
financially than ever before, and there
has been, moreover, a considerable in.
crease of population.
Personal and social items are rather
scarce. AS the busy season of haying
and harvesting is about over, the set.
tiers are beginning to discuss, among
themselves, ways and means of max.
ing some neighborhood improvement.
in the near future. 1t is probable
that by united and combined effort
new sohoolhouse and a good bridge
across the river will be built this Fail
Tho l p;.o. @